Thermo-electric heat-regulating system.



L. A. LAnsoN.

- thinkin mcmc E AT REGuLATmGssTEM.

'.nrrupmo'n man ri. le. im.

1,157,112. Pand oct. 19, 1915.

' asuEiTs-snin,3.

LOUIS A. LARSON, OF MINNEAPQLIS,

MINNESOTA.

THERMO-ELECTRIC HEAT-BEGUIJATING SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Got. 19, 1915.

Application filed `February 16, 1914. Serial No. 819,057.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, Louis A. LARsoN, a

' citizen of the United States, residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in r1`hermo- Electric Heat-Regulating Systems; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

heat regulating systems, and particularly to those in which an electricvvmotor, is controlled by a thermostat and affords the power for operating the dampers of the furnace or other heater.

Generally stated, the invention consists of the novel devices and combinations of devices hereinafter described and defined in the claims.

In thel accompanying drawings which illustrate the invention,A like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the improved system;-Fig. 1a is a view corresponding to Fig. 2 but showing certain additional devices; Fig. 2 is a detail partly in elevation and partly in section showing the fixed contacts of the three-wire thermostat circuit; Fig. 3 is a plan view with some parts in section, showing the electric motor transmission mechanism and various associated devices, which parts are mounted on or within asuitable casing` and constitute what may be treated as-the power mechanism of the system; Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken on the irregular line m4 a# on Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a diagramma-tic view in elevation illustrating connections for voperating the draft and check dampers of a. furnace; and Fig. 6 is a detail in plan showing a modified construction.

Referring first, particularly to Figs. 3 and 4, the numeral 1 indicates a suitable supporting case shown as provided with two-part casing 2`3, the section 2 being permanently secured thereto andthe section 3 being removable. Mounted on the base 1 within the casing is a small electric motor 4, the armature shaft l'of which carries the pinion 5. lThe numeral 6 indicates a motor driven shaft journaled in suitable bearings on the My invention relates to thermo-electric casing 2-3 and provided at its outer ends with crank arms 7 that stand 180 degrees apart and are adapted to operate the draft and check dampers of a furnace in the usual way through the customary connections. In the diagrammatic View in Fig. 5, one of the arms 7 is connected by a cable a to the pvoted draft damper I) of the boiler' or furnace c, while the other arm 7 is connected by a cable l to the check damper e of the said furnace. The cables 0, and Z3, respectively, run over suitable guide sheaves j and g. The damper-s Z) and e, by successive half rotations of the crank arms 7 will be alternately opened and closed inreverse order in a manner well understood. The shaft 6 carries a large spur wheel 8 that meshes with a small pinion 9 carried by a counter shaft 10 journaied in bearings v11--1.2, res ectively, on the base l and case section 2. aid shaft 10 also carries a large spur gear 13 that meshes with a spur pinion 121 secured to the hub of a spur gear 15. The combined .gear and pinion 14-15 have afspindle 16 leaf spring 18, the end of which frictionallv engages the adjacent face of the gear 15 and acts as a light 'friction brake putting slight drag on the said gear for the purpose which will hereinafter appear.

The pivoted supporting arm 17 constitutes one of the elements of a so-called gear coupling device for moving the gear 15 into and out of mesh with the pinion 5, but this gear coupling device or mechanism in its preferred form, also includes the following elements, to-wit: The numeral 19A indicates an armature which, as shown, is pivoted to the bearing 12vand is subject to an electromagnet 2O secured on the base 1. The free end of thel arm 17 is connected to the armadown, the 2i fill ield permit 'n down the arma-ts4 will cause to proper mesh. 13. y m1 Show/rn, is of the Sear n; by the numeral 23, ts no er and to the free end ci the and at its lower end to a hearing bracket secured to the ease seetiorL 2;. .rs shown, this spring' 23 has an extended arm 232 that works .in a perforation in the end o the arm 17, .with sufhoient play to permit the gear l5 to be moved into and out ot' mesh with the pinion 5. lhe spring 2'normally holds said gear 'l5 out of mesh l. When. the magnet is energized., it will throwr down the armature 19 and with it the arm l?, thereby holding the gear l5 in mesh with the .pinion 5 as long as the said magnet is energized and not longer.

ln Figs. l and 2, the numeral Q5 indil cates thermostat of the usual construction, which controls a three-Wire circuit and has the customary viloratory the emally actuated contact 2G that Works between an is adapted to alternately engage with rela-- tively iiied contacts E227 and 28; ln the customary arrangement, the thermostat 9.5 is, oli course, located inthe room, the temperature oit 'w rich is to he maintained, and the motor and other parte shown in Figs. 3 and el 'will he usuallv located in the basement `iii vicinity ci: the 'furnace which is to be controlled.

The numerals 3G and 31 respectively, indicate the three-Wires of the circuit directly controlled by the thermostat, and these three Wires, respectively, lead from the contacts 25, :27 and i' and lead the iXed contacts 32, and 34;., which, as shown, are secured or an insulating' plate 35 located adjacent to one 'lace ot gear 8, and, as shown, secured to the itinersuriace of the canse section 7. The lead or Wire 9.9 is used with both sides oit the three Wire thermostat controlled circuit, that is, may he assumed to loe the common return for the `circuit formed through the Wires and 3l, and interposed therein is a battery 36, or other suitable sourceeoi" electrical energy'. lso,

.operating mechanism 2O the .gear coupler and the electric motor t interposed in the Said lead E29 and thus connected in series. The gear 8 ca .es a traveling contact 37 which, `as shown, is secured td an insulating,v 'plate 38 on the said and has a body portion that always maintains engagement with ythe iipzed Contact 32. The crank shaft (3, and heriee,the gear 8 are arranged to be intermittentlygiven hall' rotations' and the ar rangement of the contacts 32, 33, Bil and 3T is such that in one stationary position of the said gear 8, the contact 37 will engage with the contact' and ia the other position,

with the'eontaot 34. therwise stated, the contact 37 alternately connects the opposite sides SOlll ot the thermostat circuit, to the common lead QQ. lllhe exact manner in which this action takes place under Varying temperature is well known, but it may oe here stated that the thermostat contact is moved to regulate the Ji'urnace for higher temperature, the circuit will 1oe closed through the lead 30 for example, while when the said contact 26 moves to regulate the furnace for lower temperature, said circuit will be closed through lead 31, but in both instances, through the battery 36, magnet 20 and motor 4.

The numeral 33 indicates a shunt across the common lead .Q9 hetrifeen the tattery or source of electrical energy 35 'and the thern mostat 25, and the important purpose of which will presently appear. l his shunt 38' is normally opened but is adapted 'to he closed by engagement of the ribratory contact lever 39 with a relatively iXed Contact 4:0, both of `which contacts, as shown, are supported by a bearing plate ll of insulating material located adjacent to the inner iace of the gear 8. The contact lever Si?, as shown, is pivotally connected to the in- Sulating; plate lil by a stud l2 that ia equipped with a thnmo mit and a elle, which latter tends to 'rietionally heid the said lever 39 in either position .in "which it may he set. The inner end of the contact lever 3%) is adapted to he engaged by diametrically opposite pins 45, and the outer thereof, by diametrically opposite pins 4:5, which pins or projections are carried ori the gear t.

The operation of' themechanism ahoy@ c escribed is substantially as follows: Figs. and Ll indicate the normal position oit the parte t erein. shown, at which time the circuit leading from the battery 36 is ope' that the magnet .20 is denergited and the motor `l is idle. li the thermostat Contact 26 now mores for engagement with the con tact 28, while the contact 3'? is in engagement with the contact 34 the battery circuit Will he closed through the magnet 2O motor Ll, as follows: through Wire 29, corrtacts 39., 37 and 34, from thence, thro'i` l lead 3l hach to thermostat contact jWhen the battery circuit ie thus closedA motor Will he started into action ano .multaneously therewith. the armature will be thrown. down, carrying with it supporting arm l? and thereby throwi 'the gear 15 in mesh with 'the pinion 5 or. he check of the motor armature. This will cause the motor to rotate shafts l0 and (l arid gears 13 and 8, and this movement will. conH tinue until the shait il and its arm 7 have been `sirven' a half rotation or Vmovement through i8() degrees. The initial movement of the gea-r 8 -Will bring one of the pins l5 cut out.

' momentum until it '3a-r or strain,

carry the gear 15' into engagement with the upper end of the contact arm 39 and will force the latter into engagement with the Xed contact 40, thereby closing the battery circuitA through the shrnt 38a, and in effect, cutting out the thermostat from the battery, motor and magnet circuit. The contact 37 should maintain enagement with the contact 34 until the s unt 38 has thus been closed, and immediately thereafter it should 4be out of contact therewith, so that the thermostat is actually Just before the rotation, .just noted, one of the pins 46 will engage the lower end of the contact arm 39 and force the said arm out of engagement with the' contact 40 and thereby open the shunt circuit and break the battery circuit throu h the magnet 2O andmotor 4. When this circuit is thus broken, the magnet being denergized, will permit the spring 23 to raise the supporting arm 17 and thereby out of mesh with the pinion 5. This permits the transmission gears and crank shaft 6 to immediately stop while the motor continues to run under its. own gradually stops without to the high speed armature thereof, or to the gear driven thereby. When the gear 8 stops its lower pin 46 will have moved only slightly beyond the lower end 'of the contact lever 39 (see Fig. 4).

When the gear 8 stops in the position just net and motor cannot be noted, the contact 37 will be shifted over into l engagement with the contact 33, so that the battery circuit through the thermostat magthermostat'until its contact 26 moves into engagement with the fixed contact 27. Thus it will be seen that the three-wire circuit is alternately closed first on one side and then on the other by the moving contact 37, and that during all but the initial movement, the current is delivered to the`motor and magnetl through the shunt circuit, while the thermostat is out out ofthe circuit. The friction brake or spring 18 already described, acts on the gear 15 to cause the transmission gears to quickly they are disconnected from the as they move slowly,

stop lwhen motor, but their momentum would not carry the gears far even if this retarding4 device were not provided.

The motor may be directed from the transmission mechanism in a good many different ways. I believe the separationof the gears to be the best way of accomplishrmg this, but it may be accomplished by a vcates .the

clutch such as shown in Fig. 6.

Referring to Fig. 6, the numeral 5t indipinion which in this instance, is loose on the motor armature shaft 5b and is provided with a half clutch 47 that .is adapted to be engaged with a half clutch 48 'carried to rotate with but mounted to slide on gear 8 completes its .half

again closed by theA the said armature shaft 5"., and adapted to be moved by a shipper lever 49 that is no1'- mally retracted by a spring 50 and is pro! vided with an armature 51 subject to a magnet 20a'.v Obviously, the spring 50 normally holds the half clutch 48 disengaged from Vthe half clutch 47 and Iwhen the magnet 20a, which will be in the lead 29, is energized, it will attract the armature 51 and force the half clutch 48 into engagement with the half clutch 47. I

In Fig. la, and also inF ig. 3, I have shown a device whereby the motor may -be thrown into action at will, so as to operate the dampers of the furnace independently of the thermostat. This device comprisesl three pairs of liXed contacts 52, 53 and .54 and a pivote'dcontact 55, and it includes certain shunt circuits arranged as diagrammatically shown in Fig. la. Normally, or` when the thermostat is operative to control the motor, the contact will close the circuit between the contacts 5'4 which .are located in thejcommon lead 29. When it is desired lto operate the motor at will, independently of l'the thermostat, the contact 55 will be turned either into a position to close the circuit between the contacts 52 or be- 1the contact 37 is' in engagement with the contact. 34, or it must be made by connecting the contacts 52 while the said contact 37 is in engagement with the contact 33.

As shown in Fig. 3, the contacts 52, 53 and 54 are secured on an insulating plate 59, and the contactl 55.is provided with a stem having at its outer end an operating arm 61. Also, a coiled spring 62' applied on the stem 60 between ashoulder thereof and the relatively iXed plate 59 tends to hold the contact 55 in any one of the several positions in which it is adapted to be set.

- What I claim is: i

1. In. a thermo-electric heat regulator, the combination with an electric motor and a transmission mechanism driven thereby, of a thermostat, electric circuits and automatic switches forcontrolling said motor by opening and closing the motor circuit, automatic means for mechanically disconnecting said motor from said transmission mechanism, when the latter has been given its interval of movement, and lan electro-magnet in the motor circuits operative to couple said motor to said transmission mechanism when the motor circuit is closed.

2. In a thermo-electric heat regulator, the

' termittently reverse combination with en electric motor and a 'transmission mechanism driven thereby, a thermostat, eiectric cii'cuits and automatic switches tor controllin5;7 said motor, means for automatically disconnecting; said motor troni said transmission mechanism, when the latter has heen given its interval of movement, and a fri/tional retardiiigg device or brake operative on certain et the movable elements oil said transmission mechanism to assist in stopping the saine when the motor is disconnected there-troni.

3. ln a thermo-electric heat reguiatoi', the combination with an. electric motor and a transmission mechanism driven thereby, oi a thermostat, electric circuits connecting said motor and thermostat with a source of electrical energy, and an automatic reversing switch and shunting sivitch, both operated by said transmission mechanism, the said reversing switch operating under the control cil said thermostat to start said m0- tor into action and said shunting switch o'perating subsequently to short-circuit the inotor circuit and cutout said thermostat, the

said transmission mechanism serving to inthe action of said reversing,l switch, and to .leave said shunt switch open when said transmission mechanism is et rest.

li. ln a 'thermo-electric heat regulator, the combination with an electric motor and a transmission. mechanism thermostat, electric circuits connecting said motor and thermostat with a source ci electrical energy, a reversing switch inthe thermostat operated alternately by said transmission mechanism, a shunt switch in a shunt across the motor circuit, and devices carried by one ci' the movable elements ot said transmission mechanisn'i operative on said shunt switch to close the saine by the Ainitial movement ot said transmission mechai ism and to again open the saine oy the :Final movement oit' said transmission mechanism.

5. ln a thermo-electric heat regulator, the combination with an electric motor and a transmission mechanism driven therehy, ot a thermostat, electric circuits connecting said motor and lthermostat with a source oi electrical energy, a iieversing` switch in the thermostat vogercted alternately hy said transmission mechanism., a shunt switch in shunt uci-oss the motor circuit, devices carried hy one oit the movable elements ci said transmission mecl'ianisin operative on said shunt switch to close the saine hy the initial movement ci' seid transniissicn mechanism and to again open the saine by the final -ingly retracted sir-,boort for driven thereby, of

inoversient oit said transmission mechanism,

a normally inoperativev coupling for ccnnecting said motor to said transmission mechanism, and an electro-n met in the motor circuit operative on said coupling device to connect said motor to said transmission mechanism White, and only While the liotor circuit is closed.

t3. in a thermo-electric heat regulator, the combination with an electric motor Vand a transmission mechanism driven thereby et a thermostat, electric circuits connecting; said motor and therinostatwith a source of electrical energy, and an asthmatic reversing,1 switch and a shunting switch, hothcperated hy said transmission mechanism, the said` reversing switch operating under the control of said thermostat to start said` motor into action and said shunting switci ooeiat' f subsequently to short-circuit cuit and cut out said thermostat, auniliary circuits and a manually operated switch cooperating 'with a motor circuit render the motor operative independently oi said thermostat. n

-7. In a thermo-electric heat regulator, the combination With an electric motor and a t ansniission mechanism driven thereby, oit a thermostat, electric circuits and anton" *ic switches 'for controlling said motor, a yieldcne of the Q of said transmission i'nechanisin, a magnet in the motor circuit, an armature suhject to said magnet, and a yielding' connection hetween said armature and gear supporf Wherehysaid motor will be coupled to sai transmission mechanisnii While said inet-o... circuit is closed.

8. in damper controliing mechanism, a rotary member, a damper, means actuated hy the rotary lneniher tor operating the daniper, a pivotedu device, a driving shaft, ,a gear rotatable with the driving shaft, a carried hy said pivotecl, device and moi/'ahletherewith into and out ci engagement i L" the driving shait gear, means connected m. the gear on the pivoted device for rotating the rotary member, thermostaticaily centrolled nrcan/s including; an electric circuit, and a"`switch in. said circuit Afor opera said pivotcd device, and means actuated, hy said rotary member for operating said switch.

in testinioi'iy whereof aiiin my signature in presence oit tivo i messes.

Louis in i td.

HARRY D. liLconn,- l?. D. Menon-ANT,

lili) 

